This ethereal chapel perched high on a bluff at the <a href="http://cms.riorocaranch.com/the-ranch" target="_blank">Rio Roca Ranch</a> to the northwest of Dallas, Texas is the perfect marriage (excuse the pun) between the strength of wood and the airiness of glass. The breathtaking private <a href="http://inhabitat.com/beautiful-garden-chapel-made-entirely-from-bottles/">church</a> is <a href="http://inhabitat.com/german-hydroelectric-plant-is-a-breathtaking-example-of-organic-industrial-architecture/">organic by design</a>, and provides a deep connection with the surrounding environment through its use of natural materials and transparent walls. The chapel was designed by Maurice Jennings Architect, who is known for their work building residences and chapels that adhere to the principles of harmony between built structures and natural surroundings, as well as a generous use of light. That last item is definitely evident in the Rio Roca Chapel with its glass walls and plentiful skylights.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Completed in 2010, the 1,080 sq ft chapel is a private facility and used for cultural, artistic and spiritual enrichment.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

The organic structure is built from limestone, steel and glass with unobstructed views of the landscape from within.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Perched over the Brazos River, which is lined with limestone cliffs, the chapel's materials and rock wall reflect the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/local-materials">locally-sourced</a> rock.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Visitors to the chapel shift between the plateau to the river bluff by passing by a large limestone retaining wall with a built in fountain and are treated with views of the river below.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Oriented along an east-west axis, the chapel runs parallel with the river as well as with the sun's path through they sky.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Three walls are almost completely transparent and a large skylight in the angled roof lets ample <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/daylighting">daylight</a> enter from above and playfully reflect and refract through the space.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

View of the chapel from the conference and living building.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

The roof is constructed from from wood and cooper and the structure is elegantly braced with tension bars and turnbuckles.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Use of the turnbuckles and tension bars allowed much of the structure to be <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/architecture/prefab-housing">prefabricated</a> offsite and then assembled later.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

The private chapel is large enough for 50 people.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

The geometric skylights.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Since its completion, the chapel has received multiple awards including, the National winner of the AISC 2011 IDEAS2 award, and international winner of the 2011 Merit Design Award.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

Inside the conference and living building.

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Rio Roca Chapel-Maurice Jennings Architect

This ethereal chapel perched high on a bluff at the Rio Roca Ranch to the northwest of Dallas, Texas is the perfect marriage (excuse the pun) between the strength of wood and the airiness of glass. The breathtaking private church is organic by design, and provides a deep connection with the surrounding environment through its use of natural materials and transparent walls. The chapel was designed by Maurice Jennings Architect, who is known for their work building residences and chapels that adhere to the principles of harmony between built structures and natural surroundings, as well as a generous use of light. That last item is definitely evident in the Rio Roca Chapel with its glass walls and plentiful skylights.